


Love's a War (I'll Fight for You)

by Kattythingz



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: AND I WILL AVENGE IT, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dorks in Love, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grey Ghost - Freeform, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Identity Reveal, Just tell each other already, Romance, Secret Identity, THIS ENTIRE SHIP WAS A WASTED OPPORTUNITY, The Author Regrets Everything, You're killing me here, a heart? lmao what's that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23670466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kattythingz/pseuds/Kattythingz
Summary: Normal people would tell him to break off the relationship before it got worse, but Danny couldn’t. He was in too deep. If he wanted to break it off, he should’ve done so in the beginning stages of their relationship. It was too late now because he was too emotionally involved.He fell in love with the very huntress that hated his other half with a burning passion. If that wasn’t depressing, he didn’t know what was.OR: The dramatic Grey Ghost identity reveal we deserve and never got, ft. Established Grey Ghost.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Danielle "Dani" Phantom, Danny Fenton/Valerie Gray, Gray Ghost - Relationship
Comments: 16
Kudos: 170





	Love's a War (I'll Fight for You)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bryzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bryzy/gifts).



> Hello hello! How goes the quarantine? Yeah, not that well… SO because I've been struck with inspiration, here's a Grey Ghost fic to make your very boring day! 
> 
> Very important to note that CANON IS VERY LOOSE HERE, SO DON'T STICK TO THE CANON TIMELINE TOO MUCH.
> 
> So that means NO PP, NO RING, AND NO DxS. They were cute, and I’m a hardcore shipper of them, but I’m also a guilty multi-shipper, and Grey Ghost just felt right. The show threw away the perfect opportunity for a good realistic relationship AND some good drama. Seriously, imagine if Danny and Valerie kept dating throughout the show. Their identities would make for AMAZING drama and it would all be worth it because they had THE PERFECT CHEMISTRY DAMNIT. 
> 
> ANYWAY, Enjoy!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANNY PHANTOM.

In her short teenage life, Valerie Grey has seen many things that most adults can't speak for. She had a stable and fortunate life at home, she was rich, and she was at the top of the social hierarchy at school. Her life couldn't get sweeter.

What she did not account for was the fact that it could get worse. Her once cozy and stable life collapsed, and she had to watch as her father lost his job, losing their wealth in the process. She sank to rock bottom, literally. Her friends scorned her, her house and belongings were gone, and she had nothing left.

All because of one. Stupid. Dog. A dog that just so happened to be a ghost, because of course, her life had to get weirder.

Now, a normal person would've given up and accepted that this was their life, but Valerie wasn't a normal person. She was the Red Huntress, and now that she had the right tech, she could get back at the ghosts that ruined her life while also helping out her dad through her contract with Mr. Masters.

The deal was a win-win: she'd hunt ghosts on behalf of Mr. Masters, and he would pay her for a job well done. It worked for both of them, in more ways than one.

Case in point: Danny Fenton, her boyfriend.

The idea alone was strange, Valerie was well aware of that. Ex-A-lister Valerie Grey dating local nerd and loser Danny Fenton? If she was who she used to be, she'd punch you for such a stupid joke!

But Valerie was not who she used to be. After Phantom and his dog ruined her life, she's surprisingly gained a lot in the process. Becoming Red Huntress, suddenly becoming broke after realizing she'd taken her wealth for granted, had made her a better person. Look back at herself, Valerie realized what a shallow person she was. All she cared about was herself and how much money she could spend on a single shirt.

Well, not anymore. She was a new Valerie now, a Valerie that recognized the worth of every penny her dad earned, and a Valerie that looked past her shallow ideals and found gold among the so-called trash that was the bottom of Casper High's Hierarchy.

This was her new life, and the only way she could ever be happy again was if she got over herself and started working to make the best of her situation. Of course, she would have never guessed that "the best" would be getting a boyfriend, but that's just life, she supposed.

Valerie started getting close to him and his friends for purely educational purposes, like getting more information on ghosts because Danny's parents just so happened to be ghost hunters, but things rarely settle in her life, and not even a week later, her goal was shifting.

She still milked out any info she could get, of course, but if she and Danny flirted a little in between all that, then who was she to stop it? She actually liked hanging out with Danny, and he seemed to return the sentiment. She couldn't say the same about his friends, judging by their glares every time she sat down at their table, but they never shooed her away, so that was enough in her books.

It actually made her a little happy because that meant Danny's friends weren't like her ex-friends. They didn't let their personal judgment get in the way of Danny's happiness. She could respect that.

Besides, their protective nature was well-placed given the kind of person Danny was.

Danny was like an open book when it came to his feelings. He wore his heart on his sleeve. It was so easy for him to get hurt by his own loving nature, of course, his friends would be a little overprotective of him. But Valerie could never take advantage of Danny, not after the kindness he's shown her.

Despite losing everything that made her "popular", despite the way she'd yelled at him when he was just trying to be nice to her, Danny continued to smile at her. He didn't care about the minuscule things like who she used to be, he genuinely liked her for, well, herself.

So, obviously, she fell hard.

Suddenly her life wasn't so terrible. Her living conditions weren't the best and there were times when she wished she could go back to the easy days of living large and popular, but by the end of the day, any negative thoughts she had were gone at the sight of her boyfriend eagerly waving at her, smiling all the way.

The ghost hunting was a huge plus, too. No words could describe how good it felt to finally be in control of her life. When she donned her gear, she wasn't just exacting her revenge against the spooks, she was protecting others from sharing her fate. She was doing this for the greater good, despite her own selfish motives. Selfish motives that went beyond just hunting Phantom, believe it or not.

It was definitely the first thing on her bucket list, but there were other things that drove her so personally, and that was Danny. Because for some reason, the spooks loved to go after him.

Valerie wasn't blind. She's noticed the way Danny stiffened at the sight of a ghost, the way ghosts looked even more malevolent when they caught sight of him. Those spooks were out for Danny, and it scared her just as much as it confused her.

After all, Danny was Danny. What could he possibly have that the ghosts want? Was it something he'd done? Maybe it was because he was a Fenton. The Fentons were known for their occupation, and Phantom was seen using their tech more than once, too.

There was a part of her that hoped it was because maybe, just maybe, Danny was hunting ghosts. He lived with ghost hunters, he had to get caught up in the hype, right? But that was just wishful thinking. She had never seen Danny out in the field, so there nothing to prove that he was actually hunting ghosts.

Valerie can't conjure a good reason as to why her boyfriend is targeted so often, but she'll be damned if she just lets it happen. As his capable ghost-hunting girlfriend, it was her job to protect him from those spooks.

It wasn't like she minded the job. Danny was always there for her when she needed a hand, and he helped her the only way he could: by opening his arms and heart to her and just being there by her side. Valerie returns the favor by doing what she's best at: hunting ghosts and protecting innocent people like Danny from their schemes.

And if she was a little more violent when ghosts interrupted their dates or chased after Danny, well, that was their fault.

Aside from Danny being targeted, there was also the concern of whether or not she should tell him about her occupation. Because s proud of her job as she was, Valerie was still his girlfriend, and there was an irrational fear in her mind that Danny would be hurt by keeping this secret.

It would make things easier for her if she told him. She wouldn't have to keep living a double life around him, and Danny might even feel safer around her in the case of a ghost attack. But Danny's parents were ghost hunters, and they weren't exactly the best at their job. Would his parents' experience make him bitter about her job? Their obsession has caused Danny trouble and embarrassment more than once, so Valerie couldn't blame him for having a negative view on ghost hunting.

Valerie thought a lot about this, and finally, she came to the decision that he deserved to know. Danny deserved the truth, especially after he's only ever been open with her. Danny didn't keep secrets from her, therefore she shouldn't either.

"Hey, Val!"

She looked up at Danny as he ran up to her. He was smiling as he always did around her, but he also had a nervous look in his eyes. Her message was rather vague, so she figured he was right to be nervous.

"Hey, Danny," she smiled. "Sorry for the sudden call, but this is important."

"I-It's fine," His hand made its way to the back of his neck, a nervous tick of his. "W-What did you want to talk about?"

"I-" she swallowed, unsure of how to tell him. How do you tell someone you've been hunting ghosts and lying to their face the whole time you've been dating?

"Are you breaking up with me?"

The question was rushed and said in one breath, but more concerning was the sad and resigned look in his eyes, like he knew this would happen eventually. Her throat was dry, but she was quick to assure him, "No no no, I would never, Danny!"

The relieved look on his face broke her heart. Why would he ever think that? Valerie couldn't imagine her life without Danny at this point, the thought alone was ridiculous.

"Danny, you know I would never willingly break up with you, right? You…" she paused, trying to find the right words. "You mean a lot to me, Danny. I could never ask for a better boyfriend. If anything, you're the one that's too good for me."

"Valerie-"

"No, let me finish," He looked shocked at her sudden boldness, but he let her say her piece. "You've been so good to me, Danny. Ever since my dad's lost his job, you've been the only steady thing in my life, and you have no idea how grateful I am for that. My only worry is that you might not want to continue to be that constant when you hear what I have to say."

"What do you mean?" He asked worriedly. His hands reached out to envelope hers. He squeezed them softly, sending her a clear message of his support and concern. Valerie smiled at him. She could always depend on these little touches to cheer her up.

"There's something I've been hiding from you," she confessed. "I'm not sure if you'll like it, but please… think about it before you judge."

"Okay," he frowned.

"Remember when dad lost his job?" She started. A peculiar look crossed Danny's face, something almost resembling guilt, but that made no sense. She pushed the thought aside and continued. "Well… it wasn't just a security breach that caused it."

Danny opened his mouth to say something, but he fell silent instead. Valerie fumbled with their joint hands. "This is where I need you to be open-minded, alright?" she took a deep breath and pushed through. "It was a ghost."

Danny's lips twitched. Valerie hurried to explain, fearing he was upset. "I swear, this isn't me making fun of your parents! I know people have pretended to care about ghosts just to make fun of you, but this isn't it, I swear!"

The look on his face shifted into a kind one, and the sudden change left her breathless for a moment. Danny smiled, "Thanks, Val. That means a lot. So, what's this about a ghost?"

Oh, right. She was doing something important. Valerie shook her head and focused on regaining her train of thought. "Right. Well, after I found out it was a ghost, I got a package from a stranger."

"Val, that's dangerous," Danny frowned. "Are you sure that was safe?"

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Armstrong," she grinned. "It was completely safe. I checked. Anyway, I was in for a shock because it wasn't just any package. It was… ghost hunting equipment."

Valerie watched Danny's face as it shifted into that same expression she couldn't name. Confusion? Nervousness? It was frustrating not knowing what he was thinking, especially now. Finally, Danny replied, "W-Why would someone send you ghost hunting equipment?"

"Your parents are ghost hunters, Danny, I'm sure you know why," she laughed stiffly.

"Yeah, sorry, standard question," he scratched the back of his neck as he said this. "So, does that mean you're… hunting ghosts now?"

Valerie almost let out a relieved sigh at his acceptance. He didn't seem turned off by this, maybe he really didn't mind. "Yeah. I've been hunting ghosts since then. I'm sorry I never told you before now, I just-"

"Valerie, it's fine!" Danny uttered quickly. If she wasn't so caught up in her own relief, she would have noticed how brittle it was, or the way guilt was eating at his insides. "I… I get it. I'll admit, I wasn't always so open to the idea of ghost hunting, but recent…happenings … have opened my mind to the idea. You have nothing to worry about. I'm glad you decided to tell me."

"Really?" she smiled. "Oh, thank you, Danny! I was so worried you'd be upset I hid this from you, or that maybe you'd be, I don't know, annoyed or something."

"Can you blame me?" He grinned. "My parents' reputation isn't the best, but I can't ignore the fact that ghosts are real. They're just not the best at their job is all."

"Yeah, I've noticed," she laughed. The weight on her chest was suddenly gone, and left behind was a surge of love for the boy standing in front of her. Then she remembered… "Wait, you haven't even asked about my identity. Do you already-"

"Oh, that," Danny faltered. His hands were fumbling with hers as he tried to find his words. "Well, I… I might've suspected you for… a while now."

"What?" she froze.

"I started getting curious as to why you vanished during ghost attacks," Danny confessed. "I thought maybe you were hiding, but that didn't make sense because you could've hidden with me. I-I figured you were secretly hunting ghosts and were just too nervous to tell me. Yeah."

Valerie's brain was frenzied, but she tried to find her words again. Danny seemed to this the wrong way, and his hand went back to rubbing his neck. "I'm really sorry! I didn't confront you about it because I didn't want to corner you into telling me. I figured you'd… tell me eventually."

He winced at the end. He was probably expecting her to be mad at him. But the way he put it, and the fact that he kept dating her even after knowing her secret, or at least suspecting it… it had to mean something, right?

"I'm not mad," she finally said. Danny smiled at her response, and his grip on her hands tightened. "Well, that's a relief," he laughed. "Does that mean I can still kiss you?"

"I don't know," Valerie grinned, "I might need a little more convincing…"

"Don't mind if I do."

He pulled her close, and their lips touched. They kissed softly, their hands joined together as they held onto each other. They could potentially go deeper, but Valerie found that these kisses suited them a lot more.

They pulled apart, their smiles bigger than ever.

"Aw, man!" Danny started. "That means I'm still the girl in this relationship!"

Valerie laughed in surprise at his realization. This dork, she swore he said these things on purpose sometimes. "Don't worry," She giggled, settling her hand on his arm. "You're still plenty manly, I'm just the more badass one between us."

"Hey!" He pouted.

She danced out of his hold with another laugh. "Come on, let's hit the Nasty Burger so I can brag about all the ghost-butt I've been kicking."

Had she turned around, she would have noticed the way his smile fell into a guilty wince or the way he clenched his free fist in frustration.

But for now, she remained blissfully unaware, pulling him along as they walked side by side.

He really was the worst, Danny thought to himself.

* * *

If you asked Valerie how this revelation changed things, she’d say it was for the better.

The weight that had been crushing her was gone, and in its place was the love and assurances of her boyfriend. It was a warm weight that settled right in, making her ironically feel weightless, like she could float and touch the sky. Danny accepted her so easily, and no matter how sneak he thought he was, Valerie caught the way he’d stare after her whenever she went to fight ghosts.

It was the same love-struck look he donned so often around her, but unbeknownst to her, there crushing guilt behind it, too.

If you asked Danny how this revelation changed things, he’d say he wanted to drown in his own guilt.

Here Valerie was, sweet, amazing, badass Valerie who was miraculously his girlfriend, telling him her biggest secret, and yet he still didn’t have the balls to tell her his own secret. The secret that he was the very thing she hunted with a scary dedication.

Normal people would tell him to break off the relationship before it got worse, but Danny couldn’t. He was in too deep. If he wanted to break it off, he should’ve done so in the beginning stages of their relationship. It was too late now because he was too emotionally involved.

He fell in love with the very huntress that hated his other half with a burning passion. If that wasn’t depressing, he didn’t know what was.

But Danny couldn’t do it. He saw the sad looks his friend gave him whenever Valerie talked about her recent hunts, and he pretended to ignore them. They didn’t understand. He cared for Valerie so much, breaking up with her would kill him (if not just emotionally, then literally too if Valerie decides to take out her anger on Phantom).

No, he was in too deep.

And he had no regrets.

Well, obviously he regretted that he had to only be half himself around Valerie, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret asking her out that faithful night. Nor could he regret the way he fell for her, and boy did he fall.

The way she giggled at his bad puns, the way she listened when he had a space episode, the way she held his hand when she wanted to comfort him, and the way she kissed his cheeks when he did something “cute”… He loved it all. She was like a drug, and he couldn’t bring himself to cut that drug off, no matter how much it killed him inside.

The crushing guilt was just a side-effect he had to live with. He brought this upon himself. He didn’t regret falling in love with the girl of dreams, no, but he did regret that things had to be this way.

The idea of Valerie finding out… it terrified him. Would she hate him for lying to her? Would she disregard their relationship status and continue to hunt him?

Would she break up with him?

His mind said ‘duh, you idiot’, but his heart said ‘no, she loves you, she’ll understand!’

Who should he believe? His heart or his mind? Was he too blinded by his own emotions to see the truth? Was he judging her too unfairly? After all, Valerie hated ghosts, not humans. What if she knew Phantom was half-human? Would she forgive him then?

What a ridiculous thought, he thought bitterly.

Just as his thoughts were about to darken, he heard a voice call out his name. Danny glanced in the direction of the voice, and his heart skipped a beat when he realized it was Valerie.

“H-Hey, Valerie!”

Valerie kissed his cheek in greeting, settling down next to him on the bench. She took note of his sad expression, the one he always tried to cover up but failed in doing so because she always noticed it in the end. She had been worried about that, actually. He’s been wearing that expression a lot lately.

She placed a tentative hand over his as she asked carefully, “Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?” Danny forced a laugh out. “Everything’s peachy.”

Valerie raised a brow at the blatant lie, and Danny sighed. “Sorry, Just… thinking.”

“Must be something if it has you so down,” she tried for a smile, but his expression didn’t change. She tried again, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I-” Danny paused. “I don’t know. It’s… you might not like it.”

“Try me.”

“Alright,” he looked for the right words before he started, “Do you think there are good ghosts out there?”

“What?” she blinked in surprise. “Danny, they’re ghosts, why would you even think of that?”

“Well, what if there are good ghosts out there?” he repeated, almost desperately. He turned to look her in the eye, and her heart skipped at the sight of the emotion in his eyes. Valerie didn’t understand where this was coming from. She had never considered such a thing. Why would Danny?

“What brought this on?” she asked, hoping to dodge the question. Valerie knew Danny wasn’t as harsh as the rest of the town when it came to ghosts, a side-effect of his big heart, but this was undebatable. It was obvious.

“I’ve been thinking,” Danny stumbled over his words. “If there are ghosts like Phantom that are willing to protect the town from other spirits, doesn’t that mean there are good ghosts out there?”

“Danny,” she frowned. “You know how I feel about this. Phantom is evil. He ruined my life, that sounds pretty evil to me.”

“Yeah, but-!” He sighed. Valerie watched in surprise as frustration and anger donned his face. “You said he had a dog with him, right? Wasn’t the dog the one doing the destroying?”

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at, Danny,” she sighed. “Phantom and his dog ruined my dad’s career, and he’s caused more than enough chaos for this town. Why are you so set on this?”

Danny winced. “It’s nothing. I told you, I’ve just been thinking a lot. If Phantom was so evil, why does he continue to protect this town? Why doesn’t he just leave the rest of the ghosts to attack?”

Valerie frowned. She didn’t like where this was going. She knew Danny knew how personal her grudge against Phantom was, and she knew he wasn’t so heartless as to bring that up for nothing. If he was asking about Phantom so blatantly, then there was more to this than “just thinking”.

She tried to see if his expression could give anything away, but all she saw was that same sad expression. She didn’t know how to handle this. On one hand, she wanted to stand by her opinion, but Danny seemed to be pretty hung on this. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she so wanted to tell him how sometimes, people just aren’t worth such kindness. Like ghosts.

A deafening silence fell on them. Valerie shifted in place, looking for something to say. Danny was the first to snap, saying, “Nevermind, forget I said anything.”

There was a sad resignation on his face, and Valerie wasn’t sure what to say to him. So she remained silent and let him drop the topic.

After a moment of silence, Danny tried for a small smile, and though it was clearly forced, Valerie returned it.

“Come on, the bell rings in a few,” Danny said, and Valerie could only nod in response. He got up, and for the first time since they’ve started dating, he let go of her hand.

Valerie stayed behind until he was out of sight, and only then did she let the pain show.

What was happening to them?

* * *

That was the first fight they’d ever had as a couple, even if it didn’t appear as such. They spent the rest of the day on their own, and come the next day, everything was back to normal. Both of them willingly ignored the small rift that remained and went about their day as usual.

That was when Valerie realized that whatever secret Danny was keeping from her was bigger than she’d thought. It had to be if Danny was desperate enough to bring up Phantom and defend his case.

Valerie tried to catch clues of… whatever it was, but she gave up a few days later when she came up empty-handed. It was probably nothing. She was just overthinking things.

And then she got a call from Mr. Masters.

He’s been quiet for the last few weeks, and Valerie reveled in the free time she could now enjoy with her boyfriend. Hey, they might not be A-Okay, but that didn’t mean that they were drifting apart.

A second Danny Phantom? Even more puzzling, a _female_ Danny Phantom? The logistics had her head spinning, which is why she ignored them and just did as she was told. She had a job to do.

She caught the girl, but something inside her wasn’t quite the same when she handed her over to Mr. Masters. That girl… she was human. And a ghost? She was human and ghost at the same time? How was this possible?

No, stop that! Human or not, she was still a ghost. Human or not…

Human.

Was she really okay with this?

Surprisingly Phantom was the one to talk sense into her. What was she thinking? Even if half of her was evil, that girl was half- _human_. She could hunt down spooks mercilessly, but a human?

They worked together to save the ghost girl – no, _Dani_ – and Valerie was surprised to see that she didn’t regret doing so. Not one bit. She hadn’t saved a ghost, she’d saved an innocent little girl.

No, if there was anything she regretted, it was catching Mr. Masters red-handed. Mr. Masters was Plasmius. He was using her this whole time, and she’d fallen for his act like an _idiot_. How could she be so blind?

Why didn’t she listen to Phantom?

Phantom was right about a lot of things that day, and Valerie was left reeling with what she’d discovered. As she watched the two cousins (?) interact, she felt something deep inside. A pang of guilt.

The way Dani was so happy around Phantom, the way she hugged him and kissed his cheek as any family would, was so human, and more surprising was that Phantom responded similarly. He’d hugged her back so tightly, kissed her forehead like something akin to an older brother, and watched with a smile as Dani flew away.

Phantom had never looked more human.

The thought hit her like a train as she lay in bed that night. She sprang up, her thoughts running a mile a minute. First Dani, then Mr. Masters. Suddenly, all her interactions with Phantom came rushing back to her. All those times she’d intercepted him on her way to school, how could she ignore that he was _carrying a backpack_? That he just so happened to be on the same trail as her. Every. Single. Morning.

Oh, god.

Phantom was _human_. And he went to her school! All this time, she’s been hunting a fellow student, a teenager!

Her thoughts clashed. After tonight, she could no longer say that ghosts were purely black and white. There were those that treaded a silver lining, like Dani and Mr. Masters. And Phantom…

How hadn’t she noticed earlier? He even looked more human than other ghosts! He had the figure of a lanky teenager, and his features were so very human, like he really was just a teenager. The truth was right in her face since the first time she’s met him, and Valerie has never felt like more of an idiot.

All those times Phantom tried to help her, to _apologize_. Was he… really guilty for what had happened to her? To anyone?

Was Phantom really good?

Then she remembered. She remembered that fight she had with Danny just a few weeks ago, the way he was so desperate to prove Phantom was good. She had written it off as Danny being Danny, but what if it was more? What if…

What if Danny was Phantom?

* * *

The next day, Valerie was silent. The weight of the truth was a crushing one, and Valerie was just too overwhelmed with it all. If Danny really was Phantom, does that mean she’s been hunting her _boyfriend_ this whole time?

Suddenly a lot of things made sense, like the way Danny was nervous around her in the beginning, or the way he knew about her being the Red Huntress. It also explained all those times he tried to defend Phantom and ghosts in general.

Which meant Danny has been lying to her.

Valerie wanted to be angry at him, to yell at him for keeping such a huge secret from her, but every time her anger built up, it fell flat when she remembered she _hunted his ghost half_.

Of course, she laughed bitterly. Of course, he was scared! She had expressed blatant hate for Phantom since the day they were dating, he had every right to be terrified. But if that were the case, why was he still dating her. Why did he allow himself to get so close to her? Why did he never call it off?

A small spark of hope flared inside her heart. Maybe… maybe Danny wasn’t ruling with his mind, but his _heart_. People like Danny that wore their hearts on their sleeve always ruled with their hearts, so maybe this was just Danny being _Danny_ and ignoring all common sense of avoiding the danger.

She winced. She may not like it, but the truth was that Danny saw her as a danger. Or at least, he used to. He was nervous around her at the start of their relationship, but after a while, he became more relaxed around her. She’d chalked it up as him being in his very first relationship, but it must be more than that. Maybe he’d just finally learned to trust her against his better judgment.

Her thoughts came to a halt when she heard Danny’s familiar voice call out to her.

She turned to face the source, her hands clenching on the straps of her bag. She could do this, she told herself. This was Danny, her amazing boyfriend that loved her despite having been _hunting him_ for the past year. She could do this.

She forced a smile on her face as she replied, “Hey, Danny!”

Danny stopped in front of her. He smiled at her, but it dropped when he noticed her uncomfortable stance.

“Is everything alright, Val?” he asked, his baby blue eyes piercing into her soul.

He could always read her so easily. She couldn’t tell if it was the hurt or the love that was making her heart skip. “Y-Yeah, of course.”

“You don’t _look_ fine,” he frowned. A blush spread across his cheeks as he realized what he said, and she could feel a small giggle trying to escape her at the adorable sight. “I-I mean, you always look fine, in fact, you’re beautiful, but that’s not what I-”

Finally, she let herself laugh. “Danny, I get it. It’s fine.”

How was it possible that this shy adorable boy was the very same Phantom, brave and cocky in the face of danger?

Her thoughts almost drifted again, but Danny brought her back as the feeling of his hand grabbing hers startled her. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Valerie wanted to answer that, but it was getting crowded in the hallway. “I’ll tell you later, alright? Meet me after school in our usual spot, it’s important.”

“Of course,” he answered, the raw honesty in his voice adding more to her guilt.

She forced herself to walk away. As much as she wanted to bust out all her questions and apologies, this wasn’t the time and place for that.

The wait was hard, and by the end of the day she was visibly antsy, but she managed to keep her mouth shut as she walked toward the bench they frequented. Danny was already there, fidgeting with his phone.

“Val!” he smiled as he looked up at her, but there was a familiar nervousness to him. She got a sense of déjà vu, reminding her of the time she revealed her secret to him. The irony of the situation did not escape her.

“Danny,” she smiled. She sat down, and Danny automatically reached for her free hand. The tender touch startled her, and Danny noticed.

“What’s this about, Valerie?” he asked, concern coloring his voice.

“I…”

God, where were her words when she needed them? How did she do this last time?

“You’re not breaking up with me, are you?” he grinned. He obviously meant it as a joke, but there _were_ some nerves behind the question.

“You could never get rid of me willingly, Neil Armstrong, forget it,” her grin came easily, surprising herself. She was still nervous, but suddenly she felt like she could do this.

Her grin dropped, and Danny’s brow furrowed. She wanted to reach out and kiss him there to relax the muscles, but she had to stay focused. Shaking her head, she tried to gather her words.

“I… I discovered something the other day, something that surprised me,” she admitted. She squeezed Danny’s hand for support, and he returned the squeeze. “Danny, I need you to be a hundred percent honest with me. I know what I’m about to say sounds insane and it might scare you, but I want you to understand that it’s _okay_ , alright?”

Danny stiffened at the serious aura, but he nodded. He cleared his throat before he answered, “Alright.”

“Yesterday, I was hunting this ghost girl that looked exactly like Phantom. They even had the same name,” she laughed quietly. “Weirdest thing was…she wasn’t just a ghost. She was human, too.”

As soon as she saw his face, she knew she was right. Danny didn’t look surprised, he looked _scared_. He parted his lips to respond, but nothing came out. He sent her a helpless look, unsure of what to say. He knew what she was saying.

“And Danny, she looked exactly like you. Same eyes, same hair, just a lot more feminine. It got me thinking about a lot of things, but one thing was clear to me,” she paused, shooting Danny a pleading look. “You’re Phantom, aren’t you.”

Time froze as Danny’s eyes widened, and it would’ve been comical if not for the blatant fear in his eyes. He swiftly pulled his hand away from hers, holding it close to his chest as his lips trembled. They opened and closed, but no words left him.

She didn’t need a verbal confirmation, not after that reaction.

“Oh, god,” Danny breathed. His breath hitched as the panic settled in. The air around him felt like a cage as he tried desperately to form a coherent thought other than _she knows she knows she knows-_

“Valerie, I… I’m so sorry, I never wanted you to find out this way, I swear, I just- I just _couldn’t_ tell you. It’s crossed my mind so many times, but every time, I remembered the way you looked at me as Phantom, and it terrified me. I kept thinking that maybe you’d shoot first, ask questions later, but- God, Valerie, I’m so sorry-”

The feeling of lips touching his own startled him out of his rant. Valerie… Valerie was kissing him? She wasn’t yelling at him, or taking out a gun, but _kissing_ him? Danny froze, the barrage of confusion and fear overwhelming him into silence.

Danny felt his breath hitch as she pulled away. Because Valerie wasn’t glaring at him, she didn’t look hurt or betrayed, she looked _sorry_. She was smiling a small shaky thing, but he could see the way her eyes wavered like she wanted to cry.

“Valerie?” he uttered quietly, more lost than ever. Why wasn’t she yelling at him? Why wasn’t she calling him an idiot and breaking up with him?

“You idiot,” she sniffled. He was startled to see the tears fall, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. “You stupid _idiot_. Why are you apologizing? You’re not the one that actively _hunted and tortured you_!”

The world blurred around them, and all he could see was the crying face of his girlfriend as she sobbed, spilling out apologies like _she_ was the one that was lying the whole time.

“I… I don’t understand,” he mumbled. “Why are _you_ apologizing? Why aren’t you angry at me? I’ve been lying to your face for _months_!”

“Of course, you were,” she laughed in between her tears. “I threatened to _kill_ you! I literally _tortured_ you! Of course, you didn’t tell me. I wouldn’t tell me either.”

The reality of the situation struck him like lightning. Valerie wasn’t mad at him. Valerie wasn’t breaking up with him. She was _apologizing_ to him. Valerie… Valerie didn’t hate him. Valerie didn’t hate him!

“You don’t hate me?” He felt like a broken record, but that was all he could think of.

God, here she was spilling her guts and all Danny cared about was that she _didn’t hate him_? How messed up were they for this to happen, for a ghost hunter and a ghost to start dating and _still_ be in a stable loving relationship?

“No, I don’t!” she cried. “I’m surprised you don’t hate _me_ , after everything I’ve done you! After all those times I’ve hurt you and calling you all those names. How could you still stay with me? If it were me I would’ve pulled the plug and given up!”

Danny reached out, almost like in a trance, and caressed her cheek before holding it, lifting her teary face. Valerie froze, her eyes shocked at the pure and raw _love_ in her boyfriend’s eyes. He smiled softly, chuckling, “Valerie, you should know by now that I won’t let something like that ruin what we had.”

“But-”

“No, let me finish,” he said. “I knew that it was dangerous to keep meeting up with you, but my heart said otherwise. The way I feel around you, I’ve never felt his way around _anyone_. I couldn’t give that up. It sounds selfish, but for the first time ever, I found someone that looked at me like I mattered. Sam and Tucker care, but not the way you do. You didn’t know me since I was a kid, you only knew goofy nerdy Danny Fenton, but you chose to date me anyway. How could I not be selfish?”

Valerie paused to take in the words. What could she say to that?

“Danny,” was all she could manage.

“I love you, Valerie,” Danny smiled. “I could never give this up, not for _anything_.”

“You stupid _dork_ ,” she laughed through a sob.

“Yeah, but I’m _your_ dork,” he grinned. “For as long as you’ll want me to be.”

“Then you’ll be here a while,” Valerie wiped her tears, a smile finally coming through. The sun shone down on her tear-streaked face, but Danny thought she’d never looked more beautiful.

“That’s what I’m counting on,” Danny said, his voice soft as he reached out to grab her hand. “So, does that mean you’ll stop shooting at my butt? Because I’ll have you know, that _hurt_!” He exaggerated on purpose, watching joyfully as he broke into a fit of giggles, her tears forgotten.

“If a silly shot like that makes you whine like that, I’m not sure I _am_ sorry,” She teased. Contradicting her teasing, her hand gripped Danny’s tighter. He knew what she was trying to say, no words were necessary. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to man up a little, Mr. Armstrong.”

She realized her mistake too late as a mischievous grin split across his face. “Valerie Grey, was that a _pun_?”

“Oh, no,” she groaned. “You’re rubbing off on me! Oh, no!”

“Hey, I take offense to that! That hurt more than the butt shot!”

“Aw, I’m sorry,” she giggled. She gave him a teasing look as she said, “Would the baby like a kiss for his boo-boo?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, I do,” He harrumphed, crossing his arms indignantly.

Valerie couldn’t help but laugh. How could Danny turn such a heavy topic into a matter of joking so easily? He forgave her so easily, like it was nothing, and went right back to witty banter. God, this dork was so hard to hate. She can’t believe she had it in her to hate Phantom.

Shaking her head, Valerie smiled, “Well, I guess I better get to work.”

Danny returned the smile, and this time, as their lips touched, it really did feel like there were fireworks above them. Or maybe it was just her racing her heart. She placed her hand on his chest, feeling his beating heart under her hand. The hand that hurt him more once and the heart that forgave her in an instant…

Valerie had a lot to make up for, despite what Danny said, and she would make sure that she was worthy of that forgiveness. She’d promised long ago that she would never take advantage of Danny’s golden heart, and she won’t be taking that promise back. She’ll earn his forgiveness, and maybe one day, she’ll earn her _own_ forgiveness as well. As long as they had each other, the journey to healing would be a good one.

But if there was one constant that hasn’t changed with all these secrets, it was that she wouldn’t give this up for anything either.

**Author's Note:**

> I've said it once and I'll say it again: I hate my playlist :")


End file.
